Card positioning means in reciprocating bed and platen printing press



a Sheets-Sheet 1 jzzvezfar fledfezeri WM A. PETERS CARD POSITIONING MEANS IN RECIPROCATING BED Dec. 24, 1968 AND PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Filed Feb. 1, 1967 Dec. 24, 1968 A. PETERS 3,417,695 CARD POSITIONING MEANS IN RECIPROCATING BED AND PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Filed Feb. 1, 1967 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 24, 1968 A. PETERS CARD POSITIONING MEANS IN RECIPROCAT-ING BED AND PLATEN PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1, 1967 PHD T0 l l (7 l U M Bf? NHME [OJ [0 I MA/PALD ARI-77 United States atet 3,417,695 CARD POSITIONING MEANS IN RECIPROCATING BED AND PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Alec Peters, 250 Garth Road, Scarsdale, N.Y. 10583 Filed Feb. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 613,268 2 Claims. (Cl. 101-407) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for applying printed indicia to any selected one of a plurality of defined areas on the surface of a card, the machine comprising a printing element which moves in a vertical path toward and from a base, a carriage movable horizontally in a fixed rectilinear path from a cardreceiving position to indicia-receiving position, and cardlocating means on the carriage with which any selected one of said defined areas of the card may be registered, the locating means being such that when a card has been placed on the carriage and so registered, the mere movement of the carriage to the card marking position automatically places the selected area of the card in position to receive printing indicia from the printing element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In my pending application for Patent Ser. No. 611,596, filed Jan. 25, 1967, for Printing Machine, there is disclosed an apparatus for marking identification cards, of the kind in which the exposed surface of the card is of plastic, by transferring a heat-transferable material from a ribbon to the front and/ or back surfaces of the card, said machine comprising a card holder and positioner, a marking assembly embodying a heated printing element, and a ribbon supported for movement of a portion thereof below the die. The marking assembly is movable automatically to press the ribbon into engagement with the card in response to movement of the card holder with the card thereon into a position beneath the marking assembly. The machine which forms the subject matter of this invention is of this same general type but of simplified construction and preferably manually operable in contrast to the aforesaid machine.

SUMMARY In accordance with the invention, the machine cornprises a printing die supported for movement along a predetermined path, a card holding bed movable from a card-receiving position to a marking position wherein a portion of the bed is in the path of movement of the printing element for contact of the rinting element with the card on the bed, the printing element having a marking face, a locating member on the bed, a portion of which will be in the path of the printing element when the bed is located at the marking position, said portion of the locating member having a distinctive area with which a selected area of the card may be registered while the bed is at the card-receiving position, and means for holding the card on the bed while the bed is moved from that portion to the marking position. A base is provided on which the bed is mounted, guide means controls movement of the bed to the aforesaid predetermined position, and there is means for mounting the card hold-down means on the bed with portions bearing against the bed yieldably displaceable therefrom to admit a card between them and the bed. A cushion plate is mounted on the bed flush with its upper surface in a position to receive the impact of the printing element. The upper surface of the bed is fiat and smooth to permit the card to be moved laterally and longitudinally thereon, and there are abutments limiting the movement of the bed in relation to the marking assembly such that when the bed occupies its op- 3,417,695 Patented Dec. 24, 1968 erative position beneath the marking assembly, the selected area of the card will be aligned with the printing element. The card bears ruled area and preferably the index member contains a notch corresponding substantially in configuration to the areas which are to be marked. The marking assembly comprises a bar supported at one end for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The printing element is mounted at the distal end of the bar, there is means at the distal end for heating the printing element, there is a handle for manually depressing the printing element against a spring normally holding it elevated, and there is a stop for limiting upward movement of the bar when the handle is released. A pair of spools are mounted transversely of the bed for holding a ribbon on which there is a heat-transferable material, there are guides about which the ribbon is led from one spool to the other to hold a portion of it substantially parallel to the bed and below the printing element, and there is a ratchet Wheel operable by movement of the printing element into and out of operative position to advance a length of ribbon from one spool to the other.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the marking machine which forms the subject matter of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation with parts shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the face side of a card such as is to be marked; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the back side of the card.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a base 10 which supports card holding means 12 for movement on the base to a position beneath a marking assembly 14 by means of which a heat-transferable material may be applied to a predetermined portion of the card. The card 0 (FIGS. 4 and 5) for which the device is particularly designed is of the type used in schools and colleges to identify a registered student and usually has a photographic print on the face side, the name of the school, the students name, an identifying number, and a plurality of ruled areas which are left blank to be filled in at registration to indicate classification and the like. The card also bears on its back side an index of classes and activities available to the student, comprising a plurality of defined areas ruled off and left blank except for possibily a reference number. The cards are usually externally of plastic to make them durable and ordinarily the plastic surfaces will not retain a conventional ink and hence marking applied to the selected areas would not be permanent. This machine is designed to apply to one or both faces of the card heat-transferable material which is permanent and to apply the mark to selected areas of the card in accordance with the program of the student or the activities to which he is entitled. Marking, as herein illustrated, is accomplished by transferring the heat-transferable material from a ribbon pressed against the card by a hot printing element.

The card holding means 12 comprises a bed 16 supported on the upper flat surface 18 of the base 10 for movement longitudinally thereof between spaced parallel gibs 20, the confronting edges of which are undercut for slidably receiving beveled edges along the opposite sides of the bed. The gibs 20 are secured to the base by screw bolts 24 screwed into the gibs from the underside of the base which is hollow. A block 26 secured to the upper surface of the base by bolts 28 transversely of the rear ends of the gibs limits rearward movement of the bed, and a block 30 secured to the base by bolts 32 forwardly of the forward ends of the gibs limits forward movement of the bed, the position and spacing of the blocks 28 and 30 being such as to enable retracting the bed to a card-receiving position out of the path of movement of the marking die on the one hand, and to limit the movement of the bed on the other hand to a predetermined marking position in the path of the printing ele ment for marking.

The bed 16 has mounted on it and movable with it a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending card hold-down members 34, the rear ends of which are fastened to a lever 36, the latter being pivotally mounted between a pair of spaced parallel upstanding ears 38 on pins 40 and yieldably biased in a clockwise direction by a pair of springs 42 so as to press the forward end of the holddown members downwardly against the upper surface of the bed. By depressing the rear ends of the lever 36 the hold-down members may be elevated to permit placing a card between them and the bed for clamping to the card in the desired position longitudinally and/or laterally thereon for marking of a selected area.

Positioning of the card c for the marking of the desired area by bringing that area exactly in the path of the printing element is accomplished by means of a locating member 44, the rear end of which is recessed in the upper surface of the block 26 and secured thereto by screws 46. The locating member 44 extends forwardly from the block 26 between the hold-down members 34 above the bed 16 and has at its forward end a notch or window 50 of rectangular configuration symmetrical with respect to the longtiudinal center line and of approxi mately the width and half the depth of one of the defined areas on the card to which marks are to be applied. The notch or window 50 has a rear edge 50a which is transverse to the direction of movement of the bed and spaced parallel edges 50b which are parallel to the direction of movement of the bed. The length of the window is such that when a card c is placed on the bed beneath the hold-down members 34 with a selected one of said definitely defined areas of the card with the notch 50, this particular selected area will be moved to a position directly beaneth the die of the marking merely assembled for marking by movements of the bed forwardly into engagement with the stop 30. As previously described the card c is divided up into a plurality of rectangular defined areas, one-half of each area corresponding substantially to the dimensions of the notch or window 50, so that when the card is placed on the bed beneath the window the rear half of the area to be marked can easily be aligned with the edges 50a and 50b of the notch. The areas could, of course, be of other configuration, for example, hexagonal or circular and could be registered with the rectangular notch shown herein, although it would be preferred to change the shape of the notch or Window so that it corresponded to the particular area to be marked.

Desirably the bed has recessed into its forward end a cushion plate 52, for example, of brass, the upper surface of which is flush with that of the top of the bed. The cushion plate extends transversely of the bed and is so located as to be below that portion of the card which is subjected to the action of the printing element.

The marking assembly 14 comprises a prining element 54 having a marking face 56 and a butt end 58. The printing element is secured within a notch 60 at the forward or distal end of a bar 62, the proximal end of which is pivotally mounted on a pin 64 secured between a pair of spaced parallel bracket members 66 fastened to the base 10. The bar 62 is made up of two parts 62a and 62b, the adjacent ends of which have transversely extending flanges 64a and 64b which are bolted to each other with a block of insulation 67 between them by bolts 68. The part 6212 has an upwardly extending, integrally formed block 70, the lower end of which forms part of the notch 60 and which abuts the printing element, the latter being held against it by a screw '72. The block 70 has a vertically disposed hole 74 in which is mounted a heating element 76, the heating element when energized heating the block and by conductance the printing element, so that when the latter is pressed against the ink-carrying ribbon the heat-transferable material thereon will be transferred to the card. The heating element is supplied with current through a suitable conductor 78 and the temperature is controlled by a thermostat 80. The wiring for the heating element and thermostat and the swtich Sfor turning the heating element on are all located in the base.

The bar 62 is normally held in an elevated position by a coiled spring 82, the lower end of which is seated in a recess 84a formed in a block 86 secured to the base between the bracket members 66 and the upper end of which is seated in a recess 34b formed in the underside of the part 62a. The bar 62 is lowered to effect marking by an arm 88 secured by a bolt 90 to the part 62a of the bar and provided with a handle 92 and knob 94. An upper limit screw 96 is adjustably supported by a bar 98 fastened across the bracket members 66 above the part 62a. By adjustment of the screw 96 the height of the bar 62 may be controlled.

Optionally the bar 62 may be lowered by a solenoid 100 comprising a coil 102 mounted across the top of the bracket member 66 and a plunger 104 extending from its lower end into engagement with the top of the part 62a, so that extension of the plunger will lower the bar and effect marking. Although not herein illustrated, a microswitch may be mounted on the stop 30 in a position to be actuated by forward movement of the bed into engagement with the stop to activate the solenoid.

The ribbon bearing the heat-transferable material is supported for movement transversely of the bed as shown in FIG. 3 by spools 106 and 108. The spool 106 is mounted for rotation on a stud 110 secured in a bracket plate 112, the latter being mounted on the base and secured thereto by a block 114. The spool 108 is rotatable on a stud 116 mounted on a bracket plate 118 which is secured to the base by a block 120. The ribbon R is initially coiled on the spool 106 and is drawn therefrom and coiled up on the spool 108 as it is used. The ribbon as it passes from the spool 106 to the spool 108 is held in a position substantially parallel to the surface of the bed by guide pins 122, 124 on the plate 112 between which the ribbon passes forwardly from the spool 106 and a guide pin 126 on the plate 118 below which the ribbon passes upwardly over the spool 108. During the actual marking operation the marking face 56 of the printing element 54 presses the portion of the ribbon between the guide pins 122 and 126 downwardly between the hold-down members 34 into engagement with the surface of the card.

The ribbon R is advanced from the spool 106 to the spool 108 each time a marking operation is performed so as to present a new portion of the ribbon below the printing element. Movement of the ribbon is effected by rotation of the spool 108 and this is accomplished herein by a ratchet mechanism comprising a toothed ratchet wheel 12% secured to the spool 108 and a pawl 130 fastened to a block 132 rotatably mounted on a rearwardly extending portion of the stud 116. By rotating the block 132 in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3, the pawl 130 rotates the ratchet wheel and hence the spool 108 in a counterclockwise direction to draw the ribbon from the spool 106. Rotation of the block 132 to advance the ribbon is effected by an arm 134 which is mounted on the top of the part 6217 of the bar 62 was to extend horizontally therefrom toward the block 132. The bar 134 has at its distal end a pin 136 which is held against a corner of the block by a spring 138, one end of which is attached to the block and the other end of which is attached to the base. Following a marking operation, as the bar 62 moves upwardly, the bar 134 movesthe pin 136 upwardly and hence rotates the block 132, the ratchet wheel and the spool a predetermined' amount. As the pin rises above the corner of the block the latter slips by it and is rotated in a clockwise direction to its initial position by the spring 138, so that the pawl 130 retracts the distance of one tooth for the next operation. A fixed pawl 140 is mounted on the plate 118 and an end yieldably engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 128 to prevent clockwise rotation thereof, that is, counterrotation as the pawl 130' is drawn back to its operative position.

The marking ribbon may be of any suitable kind and preferably carries a heat-transferable material of metallic or oganic composition. However, it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to employ a ribbon carrying a pressure-transferable marking material such as commonly used on typewriter ribbons where, for example, the machine could be used for the purpose of marking cards provided with surfaces adapted to receive an ink or die.

The machine as normally used is made ready for use by turning on the switch S to energize the heating element whereupon with a stack of cards which are to be marked on hand the operator places each card in turn upon the bed, positions the area to be marked in registration with the window 50 by pressing down on the lever 36 so that the card can be slipped beneath the hold-down members 34, releasing the lever so that the hold-down members bear upon the card, and then advancing the bed forwardly into engagement with the stop 30. If the machine is solely mechanical in operation the marking is performed by pulling down on the handle 92. if the machine is equipped with a solenoid engagement of the fixed end of the bed 16 with the stop 30 will automatically bring the printing element into engagement with the ribbon and press the latter into engagement with the card. One or more areas may be marked out or defined, at any desired part or parts of either the front or back face of each card for the purposes related above.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents Which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine for applying printed indicia to any selected one of a plurality of defined areas on the surface of a card wherein some of said areas may be spaced from the front-to-rear axis of the card and others of said areas may be spaced from the transverse axis of the card, said machine comprising a base, a printing element guided for movement in a vertical path toward and from the base, and means for actuating the printing element, a carriage mounted on the base, and means permanently fixed to the base for guiding the carriage to move along a rectilinear path from a card-receiving to a card-marking position, and card-locating means on the carriage, characterized in that said locating means has a window aperture therein with which any selected one of said defined areas of the card may be registered while the carriage is in card-receiving position, and means on the carriage for holding the card in said registered position, said Window aperture being so located that When the carriage is moved to marking position said aperture is directly in the path of the reciprocating printing element.

2. In a printing machine in which a printing element is supported for movement along a predetermined vertical path, a card-holding bed movable from a card-receiving position to a mark-receiving position wherein a part of the bed lies in the path of movement of the printing element, said printing element having a marking face, a positioning member carried by the bed and which comprises locating means indicative of that portion of the bed which will be in the path of the printing element when the bed is disposed at the mark-receiving position, the loaating means having a distinctive area such that when a card is disposed on the bed with a selected one of said defined areas of the card registering with said distinctive area of the locating element, that selected one of the defined areas of the card will be in the path of the printing element and receive a mark from the latter when the printing element is actuated, and means for holding the card so positioned on the bed while the bed is moved from card-receiving to mark-receiving position, said cardholding means comprising elements which bear against the bed with resilient pressure but which are displaceable to admit a card between them and the bed, the bed comprising a cushioning plate having an upper surface which is fiush with that of the bed proper, said cushioning plate being situated to receive the impact of the printing element, further characterized in that the bed has a flat smooth top surface on which the card is slidable laterally or longitudinally for disposing a selected one of said defined areas of the card in registry with the distinctive area of the locating means, an abutment on the base in the path of movement of the bed for limiting movement of the bed, the locating means and the abutment being so related that when the bed engages the abutment, a card, which has been placed on the bed with a selected one of the defined areas of the card registering with the distinctive area of the locating means, will receive a mark from the printing element at said selected area when the printing element is actuated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,547,663 7/1925 Nelms 101-407 1,665,099 4/1928 Kiesling .et al. 101-407 1,909,844 5/1933 Brenner 101-27 1,982,158 11/1934 Gould et al. l01-407 X 2,052,247 8/1936 Roberts 101-9 2,125,975 8/1938 Woodcock et al. 10127 2,155,185 2/1939 Gangel 101-9 2,943,559 7/1960 Rothmann 101407 2,976,800 3/1961 Gross et al. 101-407 3,099,214 7/1963 Adler et al. 101-407 3,140,658 7/1964 Marshall 101-407 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. l01-27, 316 

